Vees recorded their first league win of the season with a hard fought 20-5 victory over Harlequin Amateurs.
Vees ensured an early start to avoid traffic and other issues that would impact their preparation, arrived a t1 45pm but spent 45 mins waiting for someone to open the club house. Already changed and ready to go, a Quins player decided to turn up and indicated that they had changed their playing ground a mile or so down the road - a minor detail not acknowledged on their website!
With the kick off subsequently pushed back to allow a full warm up, Vees started tentatively, failing to take responsibility at the kick off, and then failing to support players at the contact, giving Quins the first penalty of the game, however Vees were able to defend with the centre Gardner and Choppin putting in a solid display that stopped the Quins huge centre in his tracks.
After weathering the storm, Vees made progress up field and from their first opportunity slick handling from the backs saw Adam Kal release Andy Paton to score putting Vees 5 nil up.
Vees confidence began to grow and although two early injuries forced Gareth Waters (shoulder) and Russ Suter (ribs) off the pitch, Chappy and Porter replaced and stuck to the task in hand.
Vees were beginning to edge the ruck area with David Coyle destructive all game. From a Quins indescretion at the ruck area, Kal kicked to the corner, with the Vees line out solid and creating a maul that saw Buse score.
Vees looked defensively strong and the backs looked creative all game,in the second half Ross Viner fed the centres with Gardner and Choppin looking threatening all afternoon. With Chappy and Choppin playing together again there was plenty of vocal encouragement all afternoon as the backs looked to take the game to the Quins all day, creating gaps, and making breaks.
The pack worked hard all day and the lineout looked strong all the game, Wildey and Luxford industrious in the second row, with Wildey on the rampage on several occasions. The pack looked to carry and make hard yards giving the the backs the opportunity to dazzle.
Vees scored their 3rd try as Kal hitting a perfect line off a Choppin pass, and Viner converted.
Viner added a penalty to take the game to 20 nil, before Quins managed to crack the Vees defence finally working an overlap with 15 minutes to go. Vees had further opportunities, but the Quins defence worked hard to keep the Vees at bay, with only one yellow card award for continued infringements by the Quins 6.
Vees will take encouragement from the win, with Coyle taking the man of the match award, but there were many strong performances and Vees will look to build on this as they welcome Kilburn Kosmos to Cotlandswick on the 17th.
attributed to Ben Moralee
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TEAM
Tromans,Bussy,Suter,Wildey,Coyle,Lux,Moralee,
Saunders,Rees(capt),Ross Viner,D.Westhead,A.Westhead,Ollie
Gardner,Choppin,
Gareth,Paton,Kai,Porter